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got hired and start on monday

Just got hired and start Monday. Im currently in hvac trade school and this is my first hvac job. It is a smaller residential light commercial company.I am gonna be riding along with the owner/senior tech. And was wondering what to expect and be prepared for?

Use your brain. Think through everything you say before you say it. Ask yourself whether you can reason out the answer to your question before you ask it. You'll surprise yourself with how much you can figure out on your own, so you save your questions for more advanced stuff. A good boss will be happy to answer your questions, but he won't just hand you the answers. That won't get you on the path to becoming a good tech.

Sometimes, it might be a good idea not to ask the questions but to do your homework after work, so you ask him for confirmation in the morning. Google is your friend and this site is VERY informative. Ask the boss for confirmation later if needed. That way you show that you're motivated and willing to learn.

Don't talk to customers unless instructed to. I'm very new over here, I know nothing, ask the bossman. You have no idea how little it takes for them to freak out. Fortunately I've learned that one years before I got into this trade.

Don't talk to the bossman if he's doing delicate work that requires concentration.
Always clean up the jobsite.

Have a pen and a block of paper handy. Start with a regular small block and when you go to a jobber, ask for one of theirs (as they usually have charts on'em).

Pants with kneepad inserts are the tops - comfortable but they still protect your knees. Also make sure your boots are COMFORTABLE. I went to a large store with 40-50 different models that covered the ankle, tried on ALL OF THEM and then got the most comfortable ones for my foot. Also get those shoe inserts for hard floors. That'll make'em more comfortable than hikers in the bush.

Your #1 priority is to get home alive and in one piece. Keep that in mind before you do anything. If you have any safety concerns, raise them with your boss.

You have two ears and one mouth for a reason - remember this. Don't attempt to dazzle him with all you've learned as you have only learned the bear minimum regardless of which school you attended. He knows you are still in school and know practically nothing - he certainly will not want to be schooled by you. If he's not one for small talk, you had better not be either.

Do not be surprised nor say anything if he doesn't purge his hoses or ignores an EPA guideline here or there. He's probably been doing this long before all of that jazz. Just remain quiet if you feel he is doing something wrong and come back here and tell us about it. Unless he asks you to hold onto the business ends of a couple of live wires, of course.

You have a possible advantage in that he is the owner and has a vested interest in showing you the ropes, milk the experience for all it is worth.

Relax and know that this is the start of your real education - the school was just a formality.

That brings us back to a big one that's obvious to people who have been around but isn't obvious to some young guys new to the trades.. If you don't have a tool that you need to finish the job with, ask the bossman every time you need to touch it and when you're done with it, clean it up and put it back exactly where you found it. In trade school, I came across a kid who didn't know better. When I asked for my tubing cutter back, he said "wait a minute, I'm not done with it yet." What came out of my mouth wouldn't be appropriate to repeat on a public forum.

I've had many apprentices over the years, and here is what I cant stand.

1-
Talking on the cell phone, for more then a few seconds. If some one calls, and it is not an emergency, tell them you are at work and will call them either between calls, at lunch, or after work.

2-
Complaning about how hot, or cold it is. Yeah, I get it. It's hot on the roof, I'm here too.

3-
Being late to work is my biggest. If you cant be 15 minutes early, there is the door, and a 100 others waiting for the opportunity that you just got. If you are gonna be late, call as soon as you know you will be, and know when you expect to get in.

4-
Don't make plans for after work too early. If a call runs late, deal with it, and don't complain, its all part of the job.

5-
Don't ask to smoke it the truck, if he's not a smoker.

A few things to do:

1-
wear pants and tuck in your shirt. Even if your boss is a slob, you dont need to be.

2-
Pack a lunch. I know plenty of guys who don't stop for lunch.

3-
Ask questions.

4-
Carry his tools, and dont complain about how heavy they are, I assure you he knows.

5-
If you become responsible for maintaining the truck, don't throw anything away unless you know its garbage.

One of my first times out was with a tech who just joined the company (had a couple of years under his belt at another place). His wife called..

Wife: Hey, how's it going?
Tech: Is anybody dead or in the hospital?
Wife: What?
Tech: Is anybody dead or in the hospital?
Wife: No... Just wanted to see how you're doing
Tech: Don't call me at work unless someone's dying or in the hospital [CLICK]

She held out on him for a week, but you can bet your sweet *** she never bothered him at work unless it was a real emergency and she got over it.

That incident motivated me to have a less adversarial, preemptive conversation with my wife